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Mountains on Fire

Mount Apo in Davao, and Mounts Kitanglad and Kalatungan in Bukidnon are some of the mountains in the country that recently suffered from forest fires worsened by the El Niño phenomenon.

While the Mt. Apo fire started because of a bonfire left behind by trekkers, the blaze in Mt. Kitanglad was caused by grassfire, which spread to nearby forests and six other mountains that were part of the mountain range. According to DENR-10 Assistant Regional Director Felix Mirasol, villagers were “exposed to the high risk of boulders and glowing embers falling on them.”

Due to the series of wildfire outbreaks, Environment Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje called all Protected Area Manangement Boards (PAMBs) across the country to prioritize the prevention of forest fires and ensure the nation’s biodiversity and habitat protection.
Days after the blaze started, the City Government of Kidapawan ordered the closure of Mt. Apo for a period of 3-5 years for rehabilitation.

“We have to sacrifice in closing the annual climb as I cannot sacrifice Mt. Apo that has served as landmark for greatness for centuries through its rich natural resources,” Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista said.

Meanwhile, at least P35 million is needed for the rehabilitation of Kitanglad, according to a DENR- Northern Mindanao official. As of press date, the said mountains are also closed from the public.

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Forest fires and El Niño

Though majority of wildfires are caused by human activities, El Niño still has something to do with their frequency and severity. As temperatures continue to rise and the amount of precipitation lessens, fires tends to spread more easily.

In a span of few weeks, we have seen how forest fire incidents have increased. If reduced rainfall prevails, this could lead to more forest fires that may be prolonged due to the soil’s lack of moisture.

The usual Hot and Dry Season is now being aggravated by the El Niño. Once a blaze begins in the forest—whether it is naturally caused by lightning or humans— it may get more intense within a longer period.

Studies show that the increasingly hot and dry climate has led to a worsening of wildfires across the globe. But in turn, these forest fires have also become contributors to climate change.

Aside from triggering air pollution, which threatens the health and lives of nearby individuals, forest fires eliminate trees and other plants that absorb carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases that stimulate climate change.

The decrease in the number of trees also poses danger in the next few months, where the onset of the Rainy Season is expected. This increases the risk of flash floods due to the loss of plant life and the inability of the burned soil to absorb moisture.

Based on the latest data from PAGASA, dry days will remain for almost the entire April. A large portion of the archipelago may experience more than 20 days of less than 1-millimeter of rainfall. Hence, if more forest fire incidents occur, these will be more difficult to control.

PAGASA also stated that the strong El Niño is expected to weaken and will likely reach neutral levels in the middle of the year, from the months of May to July. However, warmer than average temperatures may continue during the transition.

Saving our Summits

So what can you do to save our mountains?

To begin with, you and your hiking buddies can join the 3rd National Mountain Clean-up Day that will take place on June 4, 2016.

In his website, Gideon Lasco, author of renowned hiking blog “Pinoy Mountaineer” announced that 23 teams have already signed up for the event. As of April 11, mountains included in the clean-up are the following: Romelo (Laguna), Magsanga (Leyte), Pamitinan (Rizal), Binacayan (Rizal), Daraitan (Rizal), Talinis (Negros Oriental), Batulao (Batangas), Gulugod Baboy (Batangas), Tagapo (Rizal), Daguldol (Bagtangas), Sirao (Cebu), Babatngon (Leyte), Malipunyo (Batangas), Tibig (Batangas) and Sembrano (Rizal) as well as the Minalungao National Park (Nueva Ecija), Ampucao Ridge (Benguet) and Cansomoroy Peak (Cebu).

Meanwhile, the Davao Regional Incident Management Team, who spearheaded the operation in extinguishing the Mt. Apo fire, invited the public to learn more about their technique by posting on its Facebook page. “This incident has been dealt with using the Incident Management System (ICS). We enjoin everyone to be trained in using the Incident Command System for more organized and streamlined response operations in future incidents and planned events.”

Lastly, here are a few reminders from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines on how mountaineers and travelers can live by the Leave No Trace (LNT) Principles:

Plan ahead and prepare. Be familiar with the place, people, and the most environment-friendly way of reaching your destination.

Travel and camp on durable grounds. Do not walk on places not made for human transit as trampling on vegetation can greatly alter an area.

Dispose of waste properly. Garbage does not belong in forests, beaches or summits. Whatever you bring to a place, make sure to bring all of it back home with you.

Leave what you find. Resist the temptation to take home a “souvenir” and leave natural resources for others to appreciate. Always remember to keep the environment as pristine as possible.

Minimize campfire impacts. Refrain from creating a campfire, but if absolutely necessary, only set it up on an existing pit to reduce damage to the area.

Respect wildlife. Refrain from playing, taunting, feeding or abusing local wildlife.

Be considerate of other visitors. How would you feel if the group before you completely littered your destination? This will kill the experience for you; so remember to not do unto others what you don’t want others to do unto you.

Sources:

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www.nwf.org
http://www.ucsusa.org/
PAGASA – DOST
https://www.facebook.com/DavaoRegionIMT/

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http://www.pinoymountaineer.com